Lozada kin in Bicol to join prayer rally

By Ephraim Aguilar, Inquirer.net

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines — An anti-administration alliance here said relatives of Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada Jr. in Ligao City, Albay are expected to join them in a prayer rally and candle-lighting ceremony here late Friday afternoon.

Jen Nagrampa, secretary general of Bikolana Gabriela, one of the conveners of an alliance called Krusada para sa Katotoohan asin Katanosan (KKK, Movement for Truth and Justice) quoted Samson, Lozada’s older brother as saying “he and the whole family support his brother’s stand to fight for the truth and that he supported groups protecting his brother.”

The Lozada clan are joining the rally even if the key Senate witness in the inquiry into the scandal-tainted national broadband network (NBN) deal has said he himself will not be taking part in any mass actions calling for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

KKK was formed in amid mounting protests by religious and civil society groups to “seek for the truth on the scrapped P329-million broadband network deal.”

Composed of activist groups and members of academe, the KKK was convened by the Redemptorist Church, a known advocate of Arroyo’s ouster here.

Nagrampa said Samson Lozada attended the KKK convenors’ meeting on Thursday.

Nagrampa also said church people in Ligao City will fetch Lozada’s brother and his family from Barangay (village) Tinago and bring them to Legazpi City where the protest was scheduled.